1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a remote printing apparatus monitoring system, and in particular, to the remote printing apparatus monitoring system suitable for monitoring printing apparatuses that operate in accordance with firmware.
2. Discussion of the Background Art
A conventional remote monitoring system for monitoring image printing apparatuses includes a mediation apparatus between the image printing apparatus and a remote monitoring center. The mediation apparatus collects counter log of a number of sheets printed in the image printing apparatus as a monitoring objective as well as condition information by means of protocol, such as HTTPS/SOAP, MIB, etc. (HTTPS=HyperTextTransferProtocolover SSL, SOAP=Simple Object Access Protocol, MIB=Management Information Base)
Otherwise, the mediation apparatus receives a report from the image printing apparatus and notifies the center of the report when the printing apparatus causes abnormality, thereby controlling the printing apparatus monitoring system.
In such a conventional system, however, a sensor can easily detect almost all of the reports, such as malfunction of parts the printing apparatus is caused by potential software bug, etc.
Further, when abnormality caused in, such a cause is summarized as software error and is reported. Thus, the abnormality sometimes is neglected until a serious problem.
Further, debug log need to be collected to analyze an abnormal condition of the printing apparatus. Such debug log is temporarily stored in storage and quickly disappears after a prescribed time period from the storage. Since debug log is voluminous and becomes significant if the entire debug log is continuously collected. In addition, debug log outputted to the storage is insufficient for analysis depending on a problem.
Then, a note type PC (personal computer) or similar devices including a log collection use tool is disposed, upon a contract, in a customer site that possibly causes a problem.
The note type PC continuously picks up and stores log in a HDD (Hard Disk Drive), and is collected after a while. Otherwise, log output use firmware is temporarily installed in the customer site to pick up log.
Further, when firmware capable of resolving a problem is released, a customer suffering the problem cannot recognize such a release. Thus, the customer that needs update of the firmware can be neglected for a longtime.